Part 10

The Plate represents two birds of the natural size; the beautiful rush on which they are figured is very abundant in the immediate vicinity of Hobart Town.

CALAMANTHUS CAMPESTRIS. Field Reed-Lark.

_Praticola campestris_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 171.

The _Calamanthus campestris_ is a native of Southern and Western Australia, where it inhabits open plains and scrubby lands, particularly such as are interspersed with tufts of coarse grasses. It has never yet been discovered within the colony of New South Wales. Like its near ally of Van Diemen’s Land it is a rather shy and recluse species, running mouse-like over the ground among the herbage with its tail perfectly erect, and is not easily forced to fly, or even to quit the bush in which it has secreted itself.

Its song is an agreeable and pretty warble, which is poured forth while the bird is perched upon the topmost twig of a small bush.

This species also emits so very powerful an odour, that my dog frequently pointed at it from a very considerable distance.

The food, as ascertained by dissection, was small coleopterous insects, with which its minute stomach was crammed.

The nest, which is placed on the ground, is a globular structure, composed of grasses and feathers. The eggs are three or four in number, of a light chestnut colour, thickly blotched with deep chestnut-brown, particularly at the larger end.

Forehead rufous, passing into the reddish brown of the crown and upper surface, with a stripe of blackish brown down the centre of each feather; wings sandy brown; internal webs of the primaries dark brown; two centre tail-feathers reddish brown, the remainder reddish brown at the base, crossed towards the extremity with a broad band of brownish black and broadly tipped with white; over the eye a line of white; ear-coverts mingled rufous and white; throat white, gradually passing into the buff of the under surface; all the feathers of the under surface with a stripe of brownish black down their centre; bill blackish brown, lighter at the base of the under mandible; irides rufous brown; feet blackish brown.

The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.

CHTHONICOLA MINIMA. Little Chthonicola.

_Anthus minimus_, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 230.

This pretty little bird is usually seen on the ground in small companies of five or six in number, and is so very tame in disposition as to admit of the nearest approach, and when flushed merely flits off to the distance of a few yards. Its distribution, so far as we yet know, is confined to New South Wales and South Australia, in both of which countries it is a stationary and abundant species. It is very active in its actions, running, or rather hopping, with great celerity over the gravelly ridges of the ground beneath the shade of the apple- and gum-trees.

The nest is of a domed form, and is placed among withered grass in a depression of the ground, so as to be on a level with the surface, and being formed of the same material as that with which it is surrounded, it is all but impossible to discover it; the entrance is an extremely small hole close to the ground. The eggs, which are four in number, are of a light cochineal-red, with a zone of blackish brown spots at the larger end; their medium length is nine lines by seven lines in breadth.

The sexes are very similar; some individuals however are distinguished by the superciliary stripe being brown instead of white; whether this be characteristic of youth or maturity, I have not satisfactorily ascertained; I can scarcely conceive that so trivial a difference should indicate a difference of species.

General plumage olive-brown, the feathers of the back with darker centres, and of the head with a longitudinal stripe of buff down the middle of each; primaries narrowly edged with whitish; tail slightly tipped with white; under surface white, washed with yellow, each feather with a broad stripe of blackish brown down the centre, except on the middle of the abdomen, which is nearly pure white and without stripes; irides straw-yellow; bill brown; feet fleshy brown.

The figures are of the natural size.

ANTHUS AUSTRALIS, _Vig. & Horsf._ Australian Pipit.

_Anthus Australis_, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 229.

——— _pallescens_, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 229.

_Waȑ-ra-joo-lon_, Aborigines of the lowlands of Western Australia.

_Common Lark_ of the Colonists.

The Pipits, like many other of the Australian birds, are exceedingly perplexing, inasmuch as the specimens from the various colonies differ from each other considerably in size and in the length and form of the hind-claws. A more minute examination and a longer observation of them in a state of nature than my stay in the country afforded, may prove them to comprise several species, though for the present I can only regard them as mere local varieties; whatever the case may be, one thing is certain,—namely that the northern and southern regions of the country are inhabited by Pipits which bear a great resemblance to each other. Every variety of country, from the humid flats and sides of lagoons teeming with luxuriant vegetation to the hot sterile plains, are equally frequented by them; I could not fail to remark, however, that the short-toed and smaller-sized birds were most abundant on the plains. The _Anthus Australis_ has all the habits and actions of its European prototype the _Anthus aquaticus_, but is still more bold and showy; its note is also very similar; it seldom flies higher than the tops of the trees, but occasionally mounts perpendicularly in the air, singing all the time; when flushed from the ground it rarely flies to any great distance before it descends again rather abruptly, to the earth, to the branch of a tree, or a small bush.

The nest is a rather deep and compactly formed structure of dried grasses; it is placed in a hole in the ground, sometimes beneath the shelter of a tuft of grass, but more frequently in a clear, open and exposed situation, the top of the nest being level with the surface. The eggs, which are three and sometimes four in number, are of a lengthened form, being eleven lines long by seven and a half lines broad, and are of a greyish white, blotched and freckled with light chestnut-brown and purplish grey, the latter colour appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell.

The breeding-season commences in the early part of September and continues until January, during which season two or three broods are reared.

The stomach is very muscular, and the food consists of insects of various kinds and small seeds.

The sexes are alike in plumage and may be described as follows:—

All the upper surface dark brown, each feather broadly margined with reddish brown; wings and two centre tail-feathers brown, margined with whitish brown; two lateral tail-feathers white, margined on the inner webs with blackish brown and with blackish brown shafts, the remaining tail-feathers blackish brown; stripe over the eye light buff; ear-coverts brown; under surface dull white, washed with buff on the under surface of the shoulder and on the under tail-coverts; the feathers of the breast, flanks and sides of the neck with a streak of dark brown down the centre, these marks being most conspicuous on the sides of the neck and across the upper part of the breast, where they are arranged in the form of a gorget, the points of which proceed upward to the angle of the lower mandible; irides very dark brown; bill and feet fleshy brown.

Freshly moulted individuals differ in having a rich tint of rufous pervading the whole of the upper surface, the breast and flanks.

The figures represent the two sexes of the natural size, from specimens procured in New South Wales.

CINCLORAMPHUS CRURALIS. Brown Cincloramphus.

_Megalurus cruralis_, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 228.

_Cincloramphus cruralis_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 150; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV.

As there are two, if not three, species of this very singular genus inhabiting the southern portion of Australia, which bear a great resemblance to each other, it becomes necessary to state that the bird represented in the accompanying Plate is the one commonly seen during the months of spring and summer in all the open districts of New South Wales, in which country it arrives in August, and after performing the task of incubation, departs again in January or February. Open downs, grassy flats and fields of corn are its favourite places of resort. It is certainly one of the most animated of the Australian birds. Had I not visited Australia and personally studied its habits, my credulity would have been severely taxed upon being informed that the two birds here figured represent the male and female of the same species, many genera having been instituted upon much slighter grounds of difference; I had abundant proofs, however, that such is really the case, having seen many of the nests and eggs with the parent bird in the act of incubation, during the two seasons I spent in the country. In most of its habits and in its economy this bird closely assimilates to the Skylark of Europe. During the early months of spring it trips over the ground in the most sprightly manner with its tail nearly erect; mounts on the dead limbs of trees and the fences of enclosures, and runs along them with the greatest dexterity; at this season of the year also the male may be frequently seen running beside his diminutive partner, and so busily engaged in pouring forth his song for her amusement, as to be apparently unconscious of the presence of any other object. After the female has chosen the place for her nest, which is always on the ground, the male, like the Skylark, frequently mounts in the air with a tremulous motion of the wings, and after cheering her with his animated song, descends again to the ground or skims off to a neighbouring tree, and incessantly pours forth his voluble and not unpleasing notes.

I found it very abundant in all the Upper Hunter districts, as well as in all the surrounding country, both to the north and south: I killed numerous examples of both sexes, but not one male with the throat and under surface black, like specimens I have seen from Port Philip and South Australia, and which I consider to be specifically distinct.

The male has the entire plumage brown, each feather margined with brownish white; a large patch of dark brown on the centre of the abdomen; bill, inside of the mouth and tongue black; irides hazel; feet flesh-brown.

The female is similar in colour, but the feathers being more broadly margined with brownish white gives her a paler hue than her mate; the under surface is also much lighter, and the patch in the centre of the abdomen is much smaller.

The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.

CINCLORAMPHUS CANTILLANS, _Gould_. Black-breasted Cincloramphus.

_Cincloramphus cantatoris_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part X. p. 135.

_Ye-jȕl-lup_, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia.

_Sky-Lark_ of the Colonists.

I consider it necessary to state that the figures in the accompanying Plate are taken from specimens killed at Port Philip in South Australia, and I have a specimen procured at Port Essington which is precisely similar. They all differ from _C. cruralis_ in their smaller size and in their darker colouring, a character which is confined to the male sex, and which is, I believe, strictly a summer livery. At Swan River the individuals are still smaller, and like the _C. cruralis_ are never so black on the breast as the bird here figured; shall we not then be justified in considering this again as distinct? The term _cantillans_ was applied to a specimen in the winter dress, when neither the breast nor bill is black, otherwise a more appropriate appellation might have been applied.

I possess no information respecting the habits of the Port Philip bird.

The following notes are from the pen of Mr. Gilbert, and are the result of his observations of the bird in Western Australia:—

“This is a summer visitor to Western Australia, a remarkably shy and wary species, and a most difficult bird to procure, from its generally perching on a part of a tree whence it can command an uninterrupted view all round, rarely admitting any one to approach it within gun-shot. On being flushed from the ground it immediately takes to a tree, where, with its tail erect, and its head stretched out to the full extent of its neck, it presents a most grotesque appearance. It often ascends perpendicularly to a considerable height in the air, and then floats horizontally without any apparent motion of the wings to the distance of three hundred yards. While flying it utters a most disagreeably harsh and grating note, which is exchanged for an inward, rather plaintive tone when perched among the branches. The nest, which is deposited in a slight depression of the ground, is formed of dried grasses, and is so loosely put together that it is extremely difficult to preserve it entire; the eggs are four in number, and are similar to, but larger and of a lighter colour than those of the _C. rufescens_.”

All the upper surface sandy brown, the centres of the feathers darker; primaries and tail greyish brown, slightly margined with reddish brown; immediately before the eye a triangular spot of brownish black; throat and chest dull white, the latter with a stripe of brown down each feather; under surface light brown; in the centre of the abdomen a patch of dark brown, each feather margined with pale brown; bill and feet fleshy brown.

The figures represent two males and a female of the natural size in different states of plumage.

CINCLORAMPHUS RUFESCENS. Rufous-tinted Cincloramphus.

_Anthus rufescens_, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 230.

_E-rolȅ-del_, Aborigines of the Mountain districts of Western Australia.

_Singing Lark_ of the Colonists.

If Australia be not celebrated for its singing-birds, it has still some few whose voices serve to enliven the monotony of its scenery; and of these no one deserves greater attention than the bird here represented, which is a very sweet songster, and whose note somewhat resembles, but is much inferior to that of our own Skylark. With the exception of Van Diemen’s Land, where I believe it is never seen, it appears to be distributed over all parts of Australia, as evidenced by my collection, containing specimens from every locality yet visited by Europeans. In New South Wales and Western Australia it is strictly migratory, and only a summer visitor, arriving in August and departing in February; on the other hand, I met with it on the sand hills at Holdfast Bay in South Australia in the month of July, the period of winter: although not exclusively a terrestrial bird, it spends much of its time on the ground, from which it makes perpendicular ascents to a great height in the air, and then descending to the tops of the highest trees, flies horizontally from one tree to another, singing all the time with the greatest volubility; the female, which is not more than half the size of the male, remaining all the while on the ground, from which she is not easily aroused, and consequently not so often seen. It evinces a great partiality to open grassy plains here and there studded with trees. It breeds in October, November and December, and sometimes rears two broods during the season. The nest is placed in a depression of the earth, most frequently at the foot of a slightly raised tuft of grass, and is externally composed of strong grasses and lined with very fine grasses, and sometimes with hairs. The eggs are four in number, ten lines long by seven and a half lines broad, and are of a purplish white, very boldly marked with freckles and small blotches of deep chestnut-brown, so much so as frequently to render the blotches more conspicuous than the ground colour.

The female frequently utters a monotonous shriek or call at night.

The male has all the upper surface dark brown, each feather margined with olive-brown; upper tail-coverts rufous; lores black; stripe above the eye and throat whitish; all the under surface pale brownish grey, deepening into buff on the under tail-coverts, and with a series of minute spots of brown on the breast; irides hazel; bill dark lead-colour in summer, fleshy brown in winter; tarsi yellowish grey; feet bluish ashy grey.

The female is smaller and is destitute of the black lores; in other respects she is so like the male that a separate description is unnecessary.

The figures represent the two sexes of the natural size, on a branch of the cherry-tree of the colonists (_Exocarpus Cupressiformis_).

MIRAFRA HORSFIELDII, _Gould_. Horsfield’s Mirafra.

_Mirafra Horsfieldii_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., January 27, 1847.

This species, which I have named _Horsfieldii_ in honour of the founder of the genus, is sparingly dispersed over all the plains and open districts of New South Wales, but is more abundant on the inner side of the mountain ranges towards the interior than between the ranges and the sea; I have also a specimen procured during Dr. Leichardt’s overland expedition from Moreton Bay, and one from the neighbourhood of Port Essington: both of these, although possessing characters common to each other, differ from specimens obtained in New South Wales in being larger, redder in colour, and in having a stouter bill—features which will probably hereafter prove them to be distinct, and which exhibit a near alliance to the true _Mirafra Javanica_.

The bird here figured is from New South Wales, where I found it more abundant on the Liverpool Plains than elsewhere; I also met with solitary individuals in the district of the Upper Hunter.

In its habits it is more terrestrial than arboreal, and will frequently allow itself to be almost trodden upon before it will rise, and then it merely flies to a short distance and descends again; it may often be seen perched upon the strong blades of grass and occasionally on the trees; it frequently mounts high in the air after the manner of the Skylark of Europe, singing all the time very melodiously, but with a weaker strain than that favourite bird; it also occasionally utters its pleasing song while perched on the branches of the trees.

The sexes are alike in colour and size.

General plumage ashy brown, the centre of the feathers dark brown, the latter colour predominating on the head, lower part of the back and tertiaries; wings brown margined with rufous; over the eye a stripe of buff; chin white; under surface pale buff; throat crossed by a series of dark brown spots arranged in a crescentic form; under surface of the wing rufous; bill flesh-brown at the base and dark brown at the tip; feet fleshy brown.

The figures are of the natural size.

ESTRELDA BELLA. Fire-tailed Finch.

_Loxia bella_, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xlvi.

_Black-lined Grosbeak_, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 198.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. v. p. 267.

_Fringilla bella_, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 257.

_Wee-bong_, Aborigines of New South Wales.

_Fire-tail_, Colonists of Van Diemen’s Land.

Van Diemen’s Land may be considered the stronghold of this species, for it is universally and numerously dispersed over all parts of that island suited to its habits and economy. It also inhabits New South Wales, but is there far less abundant than in other districts. I generally observed it in small communities varying from six to a dozen in number, searching on the ground for the seeds of grasses and other small plants which grow on the plains and open parts of the forest. It also frequents the gardens and pleasure-grounds of the settlers, with whom it is a favourite, few birds being more tame or more beautifully coloured than this little Finch; the brilliant scarlet of the rump, and the base of the tail-feathers strongly contrasting with the more sombre hue of the body. Its flight is extremely rapid and arrow-like, particularly when crossing a plain or passing down a gulley. It is a stationary species in Van Diemen’s Land, and probably also in New South Wales. In the former country I constantly encountered it breeding, my attention being usually attracted by the enormous nest which it builds, and which, being placed among the branches of shrubby trees without the slightest attempt at concealment, is very conspicuous. It moreover breeds in small communities, several nests about ten inches in diameter being placed on the same tree. They are constructed entirely of grasses and stalks of plants, dome-shaped in form, with a hole near the top for the ingress and egress of the bird. The eggs are five or six in number, rather lengthened in form and of a beautiful flesh-white, eight and a half lines long by six and a half lines broad. It breeds from September to January, during which period two or three broods are reared. Its note is a single mournful sound emitted while perched on the low branches of the trees in the neighbourhood of its feeding-places.

The sexes present no external difference, and may be thus described:—circle surrounding the eyes, lores, and a line crossing the forehead black; all the upper surface, wings and tail olive-brown, crossed by numerous narrow crescentic lines of black; rump and base of the tail-feathers shining scarlet; all the under surface grey, crossed by numerous narrow crescentic lines of black; centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts black; tips of the primaries and tail-feathers brown without bars; bill crimson, becoming paler at the base of the upper mandible; irides very dark brown; eyelash beautiful light blue; feet flesh-colour.

The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.

ESTRELDA OCULEA. Red-eared Finch.

_Fringilla oculea_, Quoy et Gaim. Voy. de l’Astrolabe, Zool., Part I. p. 211; Ois., pl. 18. fig. 2.

_Jeȅ-ree_, Aborigines of the lowland, and

_Dweȑ-den-ngool-gnan̏-neer_, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia.

_Native Sparrow_, Colonists of Swan River.